US judge wants to keep job as comedian

In a humourless proceeding on Tuesday, New Jersey's Supreme Court heard arguments over whether a judge can keep his other paying gig as an actor and stand-up comic.

Vince A Sicari says he makes hundreds of stand-up comedy appearances a year, including on stage, on network television, as a warm-up for Comedy Central audiences and in film.

His lawyers argue that the longtime comedian, who performs under the name Vince August, has always kept his identity as a South Hackensack municipal court judge separate and "there is never mention in either profession of the other".

Sicari, 43, is appealing a 2008 state ethics committee ruling that he can't continue working as a paid entertainer while working part-time as a judge overseeing things like traffic ticket cases and disorderly persons offences.

Kim D Ringler of the state attorney general's office is arguing for the ban, saying some of the characters Sicari depicts - such as racist and homophobic characters on a hidden camera TV show What Would You Do? - could confuse the public and reflect badly on the judiciary.

"His actions detract from the dignity of his judicial office and may reflect adversely on the judge's impartiality," Ringler said of Sicari's performances.

Sicari's lawyer, E Drew Britcher, says the public is able to tell the difference between Sicari's professional demeanour as a judge and his role as a comedian.

"It's important to recognise that whether he be comedian or actor, he is in roles where he is not expressing ... his opinion," Britcher said.

Sicari makes $US13,000 ($A12,697) a year as a part-time judge.

He argues he is equally passionate about each of his jobs, though his entertainment work earns him more income and entitles him to health benefits.

Sicari never cracks jokes on the bench and never lets on that he moonlights as a comic, Britcher said.

On stage, he doesn't do lawyer jokes.

Britcher said much of Sicari's comedy is derived from non work-related personal observations, such as his upbringing as an Italian Catholic.

On Monday night, Sicari headlined at Caroline's comedy club in New York and brought down the house with his acerbic takes on current events, including the scandals surrounding Lance Armstrong and Oscar Pistorius.

Sicari has declined to comment this week, other to say that he loved being a performer.

He's previously said he got hooked on standup comedy as a young boy after watching Richard Pryor.

At an early age, he began doing impressions, including one of Vinnie Barbarino, John Travolta's character on the TV show Welcome Back, Kotter.

He remembers telling his parents when he was 12 he wanted to be a comedian. Their answer was "You're nuts".

Being a standup comedian requires some of the same skills as being a lawyer, he says.

"You have to be very quick on your feet."

Sicari argues in his appeal that he takes both his entertainment and his legal jobs seriously.

"This issue is about a person who affects lives in many ways in two distinct identities," he said in court documents.